CHILAW

My favourite part of the day was the picnic at a secluded beach.


The beach didn’t have the super soft sands of the Mirissa or Weligama beaches, south of Sri Lanka would have and the bedrock coasting the land would make the waves crash high with such resplendence, spilling frothy droplets of water over our feet making them cool in the early afternoon warmth.

We also, visited the Munneswaram Kovil. There was no one to ask questions about the history of the kovil or of the religious rituals which was a shame. The whole newly built section is standing around the ancient, maybe 900AD, old Siva Devalaya with a Siva lingam around it. In that case this should be a place visited mainly by couples who had trouble conceiving and then come to fulfill their vows. As was evident by the people who thronged the place with little babies screaming for air and/or milk.

Then of course there's the God Vishnu's Kovil and to this people would pray for protection. It says in the Mahawansa, (history of Ceylon) that when Lord Buddha was on his deathbed one of his wishes and requests to the God of all Gods (Shakra), was to appoint a God to look after Ceylon a country his religion would prevail. As God of all Gods did not have sufficient time to handle this responsibility, apparently he entrusted it to God Vishnu. And from then on, Sri Lanka formally known as Ceylon is under the protection of Vishnu.

Vishnu
Vishnu, the god of home and family values, represents stability and order. Vishnu is recognizable by the four symbols he often carries: the discus, conch, club, and lotus. The discus and club are both weapons, signifying his absolute might in destroying evil. The lotus represents fertility and regeneration, the nourishment of the soul that occurs through devotion to this deity. The conch shell is blown in India like a trumpet during many sacred rituals. It is considered to make the purest sound, from which creation springs. In Vishnu's hand the conch symbolizes purity and auspiciousness. In paintings and prints, Vishnu is often shown with blue skin to accentuate his otherworldliness. A stylized representation of his footprints appears on his forehead. This V-shaped symbol of the god is also applied in sandalwood paste to the foreheads of worshipers of Vishnu during puja.

This is how is works – you enter the premises and is instantly a web of vendors descend upon you advising you on the Pooja, or the offering you ought to do. This is mainly cut or whole fruits in season, a cleaned coconut and some money for good measure on a aluminum (silver) platter or a weaved basket. You take your offering and stand in line or present it in unison with the other devotees or wait your turn depending on which God you worship. Then the priest would ask your name or what you intend to bless or vow and would say a lengthy or short prayer according to your wish and hand you back a portion of your offering after taking the other part as the offering to the God. Then you can light your oil lamps, incenses and finally crack your coconut at the appropriate place. We was people from all walks of life at the Kovil. From a very poor people to a family who looked quite affluent to a Police officer from the Chilaw PD. Everyone was friendly and stared all the time. Just like if they were any where else, really, the attention span is so poor.

Just above the small cubicle where a few ancient statues of Vishnu sits, there's a statue of magnanimous proportions of King Rama, the Hindu demon King of Sri Lanka, that Vishnu slays after a fierce battle. Also, all over the walls there are other depictions of 'avataras' or deities of Vishnu in evil forms not done anywhere else, the gory details are horrific and amazing. It's a place you can stay for hours watching the rituals taking place with the people, some looking quite possessed by the sound of the drum beat, symbol and the tinkling bells, swaying to the prayers sung by the priests in "vetti's."

The journey form Negombo to Chilaw takes 45min to 1.15hrs. depending on the traffic. It's approximately 42kms one way. there are petrol stations at every big town maybe every 15km or so and the road surface is excellent with one lane per direction which can be a little hard to over take buses and lorries who can be a little stubborn and selfish and use one and a half lanes to travel.

Thotupola Kanda

This is how we spent the 2nd day of the year of 2009!

We decided it was the day we would finally try to climb the 3rd highest mountain in Sri Lanka. The most climbing is done by your poor vehicle, dodging all the horrific pot holes that even a young sambar can use as a pool to lie in on a hot day: also true that the walk only takes an hour of climbing more or less depending on your personal fitness.

Tothupola Kanda is the, documented, landing site of King Ravana's flying machine, the Demon King that ruled Sri Lanka about 3000years ago. He hears of Sita, the beautiful wife of Rama in India, (a diety of Vishnu) and kidnaps her and brings her back in his flying machine. Rama arrives in Sri Lanka, battles fiercely with Ravana's armies, kills Ravana and flees with his wife.

We started late. That was our only mistake. By the time we entered the open area we were baking in the sun despite the heavy layers of Nivea Sun Block that offered +30 SPF protection from the sun. the path leading to the summit has several diffrent vegetations, the large trees and dense thicket is
supplanted by dry gorse bushes and open land for over 1km. There's no shade on the path and this stretch is one that ought to be done really early or after 3pm, when the sun hides over clouds.

The view all the way is spectacular! In ten square metres there are 20 trees with more than 20 colour variations just like the butterflies we saw. Deep thick green leaves to the softest pink new leaves on a very small bush. The edible fruits that the birds seemed to consume to the dark red flowers on the large bushes. The summit is marked with an unnamed tower for communications and sits there like it doesn’t belong there, and it doesn’t. all the hill tops that your eyes can see are topped with the same gifts by men.

There were two places we saw the droppings of the big cats, the leopard. The most interesting thing we saw in regard to animals. One looked fairly new too. We didn’t hear any other animals but encountered a flock of birds about 1/3 of the way down in a bush. The largest bird being the Yellow Eared Bulbul.

There ought to be a notice board by the gates to the park, where the Department of Wildlife and Conservation issue tickets to paths and tracks available to the visitors at the plains. It's very rarely that anyone visits the Kirigalpotta or Thotupola Kanda.

Last August when we visited Hortain Plains, the path to ThotopolaKanda wasn’t cleared but now it is. There are two markers by the Dept of Wildlife, 500m along the path and the other a few more metres beyond. this being the only summit to the east, the chances are slim to get lost.

We had a wonderful time climbing up. I was wearing layers of clothes as it was 16degrees down when we left the jeep but once I passed 200metres the heat got unbearable and I kept shedding layer after layer of clothing till I was in one sweat top. Our 8year old found a walking stick to help him climb the hazardous parts, short legs makes climbing 3 feet rocks a little arduous. But he was in good spirits the entire way down, running down the path and enjoying himself immensely.

Wolf made us walk slowly at a steady pace so that we wouldn’t stop all the time but boy was he wrong! We stopped at every opportunity we got and refused to take another step and solemnly vowed that we will go back to the jeep and that he was a dictator to make us do this!? A human rights violation and all that! but after we climbed to the summit, and saw the clouds below our eye levels, we had to agree it felt really good to have done it!

We are standing above the clouds. The breathtaking view for the east.


The walk up the summit takes only 2hours or so. We were back eating our packed lunch in about 3hours time as we spent quite a time recording the magnificent views with the digital camera.

Road to Ohiya.

Mid way from Park entrance gate to Ohiya ticket counter we saw the bear monkey or the Hill Zone Purple Faced Langur and flocks of birds. The Hill White eye being the most prominent bird , the Gray headed canary fly catcher, dull blue fly catcher and the coucal. The palm squirrel in these parts are also darker in colour and would be seen darting around in the bush.

But the most amazing bird I personally saw was the Blue Magpie! We had stopped on our way down from the Pattipola Ticket gate as we heard birds and then was amazed to hear it's gutteral croak in the thicket. And behold..there it was in all it's splendour! Large and impressive but shy as hell.

This made the whole journey worthwhile. I dont know when we would go back to the plains, but I certainly would want to walk around more on the road leading to Pattipola and looking at birds and the wildlife than doing the walk to Baker's Fall and to World's End.

Goods' train to Heel Oya station from Ambewela - The Real Thing!

In case you wonder how you can spend another day in Nuwara Eliya without your kids pestering your for more pony rides and you are done with the Queen Victoria park, and want to do something different we can recommend that you take the same Goods train from Nanu Oya station, the closest the Nuwara Eliya (7km) or to Ambewela (12km) from Nuwara Eliya town and head off to Bandarawela on the train. It's not the Bullet train or the Euro star so, keep the expectations low and DO empty your bowels and bladders before entering the train station with a snack lunch and you are good to go.

The train tickets from Ambewela to Bandarawela costs less than Rs 35 per adult. And worth every penny if you want to snap pictures or sit and take in the view. The kids can't disturb you as it's impossible to hear each other over the din of the metal wheels of the train over the steel lines. Hopefully they would be captivated, like our child did. by taking down the heights above sea level at each station and counting the 14 tunnels out of 45 on the journey toward Badulla on this track.

This is the highest point on this track. Unfortunately you can trust the locals to vandalise and erase the numbers on the board for fun!

This is the list (part of it) my 8year old listed on the way
Ambewela 1828m (5997')

Pattipola 1891m (6204')
Ohiya 1774m (5820')
Idalgashinna 1615m (5298')
Haputale 1431m (4695')
Diyathalawa
Bandarawela
Heeloya

Our friendly Station Master introduced us to his friend, the SM for Ohiya, Mr. Charith Saranga, also out of Colombo University who showed us the signal changing equipment on the tracks and the telegraph machines still used by the up country railway lines.

The most popular station down the track is the Pattipola. Sitting at 1891m it was around celcius 15degress at 10.45in the morning on 2nd January 09 when we arrived at the sation.

When the train arrived at the Ambewela station he invited us to travel with him in the Guards' Carriage. The guard for the day on the Goods train to Badulla was Mr. Sunil Kumarawansa, a veteran on the tracks and he kindly spent sometime explaining about the brake systems and the mountain range. An avid birder, he is a member of the Ornithology Club run by the Colombo Zoo and was very descriptive about the places where one can hike to see the birds.

He knew each mountain by name and the location the district line is between the Nuwara Eliya and Badulla andof the provincial line of the Uva and the Central Province. For 1st time travelers on this line we appreciate Mr. Sunil Kumarawansa's unbridled enthusiasm about the job he does, surely for quite a low salary and for the extensive knowledge on the Geography on the area he works. He's an asset to the railway. Too bad they don't use him to give a running commentary on the landscape that whizzes or crawls by depending on the incline.

Unfortunately, with him, we got to experience our 1st on-site rail accident. A drunkan man in his 50s was hanging on the arm rails on the train, collided with a water line pole, used earlier for giving water to the steam engines long time ago when in operation, and fell off the train at the edge of the railway platform at Haputale Station. The man was rushed to the closet Hospital and we all stayed on looking helplessly while the whole episode unfolded at a snail's pace as it normally does in such a situation.

The SM for Haputale and the very nice engine driver for the Goods train were sufficiently mad at the hapless creature who got drunk and delayed their train. But was kind enough to let us climb into the engine to look around.

Though we didn’t have time to write down the names, less space than the Space Station in one of these engine! The engine we were in was a German engine and one of the fastest on the tracks.

Henschel Thyssen (Kassel W.Germany). 1650hp. Imported to Sri Lanka in 1979. Still in operation.
Builder : Henschel-Thyssen Germany
Weight : 87 tons
Power : 1650hp GENERAL MOTORS V12 12-645E (2 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 16

The Sri Lankan Railway owns and runs many engines down 8 main lines - Main line, Matale, Coast, Kelani Valley, Putlam, Northern, Battiocaloe and Trincomalee. We were fortunate to learn about a few of these engines while waiting for our train to depart the Bandarawela station.

M1 – English engine
M2 and M4– Canadian Engine
M5 – Japanese Engine
M6 – German Engine (the engine that pulled the Goods rain we were on)
M7 – British Engine
M8 – Indian Engine
M9 - French Engine

The most powerful M6 German engine which is over 50years old, is capable of pulling a load of 4000 tonnes and generates 1,600 horse power. There are three types of brakes that are located in the engine room, the emergency brake, brakes for the carriages and the parking brakes. This engine has 6gears and airbrakes and run on the dynamic throttle. And the Power throttle pulls the engine forward.

Diesel Locomotives of Sri Lanka
Locomotive classification


Main Line Locomotives (Diesel Electric) - Class M
Main Line Locomotives (Diesel Hydraulic) - Class W
Suburban DMU's - Class S
Narrow Gauge - Class N & P
Shunters - Class Y


M Class Locomotives
M1
Brush Bagnall (British) 1,000hp. Currently not in service, 25 locomotives were imported to Sri Lanka from 1953 onwards. Phasing out of service started in 1983. Most of the locomotives are scrapped and a few remains beyond salvagable condition in Ratmalana workshop.
One locomotive No. 560 is parked in Running Shed Dematagoda almost intact, which could be restored back to running condition.
Visit Brushlanka website for further information
Builder : Brush Bagnall UK
Weight : 88 tons
Power : 1000hp Mirrlees V12 JS12VT (4 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 25

M2
sub class (M2a, M2b, M2c, M2d)

General Motors (Canada) GM-567 1,425hp Imported to Sri Lanka from 1954 onwards. The most efficient locomotive in the SL Roster. Almost all locomotives are still operational.


Builder : General Motors Canada
Weight : 79 tons
Power : 1425hp GM V12 12-567c (2 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 14

M3

Locally Manufactured 'Jayanthi' Class locomotive. 2 engines (180hp x 2) taken from Class S1 was used for this locomotive. Locomotive is non operational and scrapped.
Builder : Sri Lanka Railway
Weight : 46 tons
Power : English Electric 6 cylinder 180hp x 2 (4 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 2

M4
MLW (Canada) Alco Bombardier MX620. Longest locomotive in the SL Roster. Imported 1975 onwards Still operational.
Builder : Montreal Locomotive Works Canada
Weight : 93 tons
Power : 1750hp Alco Bombardier V12 12-251C3 (4 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 14

M5
Hitachi (Japan) 1600hp. Imported to Sri Lanka in 1979. Some locomotives repowered with Paxman engines classified as M5B. Some with "Caterpillar" 3516 DITA engines and re-classified as M5C. Still in operation
Builder : Hitachi Japan
Weight : 66tons
Power : 1640 MTU-Ikegai V12 12V652TD11 (4 stroke)
M5A - 1150hp MTU V12 (4 stroke)
M5B - 1150hp PAXMAN Velanta V12 (4 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 16

M6
Henschel Thyssen (Kassel W.Germany). 1650hp. Imported to Sri Lanka in 1979. Still in operation.
Builder : Henschel-Thyssen Germany
Weight : 87 tons
Power : 1650hp GENERAL MOTORS V12 12-645E (2 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 16

M7
Brush Bagnall (British). 1000hp. Imported in 1981 to coincide with Queen"s visit to the Island. Still in operation.
Builder : Brush UK
Weight : 67 tons
Power : 1000hp GENERAL MOTORS V8 8-645E (2 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 16

M8
sub class (M8a)

WDM2 (Varanasi India). 2600hp. First batch Imported in 1996. Second batch classified as M8A Slightly shorter in length than the first batch. Still in operation.
Builder : Diesel locomotive works Varanasi India
Weight : 110 tons
Power : 2600hp ALCO V16 (4 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 10

M9
Alsthom (France). 1800hp. Imported to Sri Lanka in 2000. This locomotive faced various problems (electrical/mechanical) initially, now somewhat slowly adapting to the local environment. In operation.
10 Locomotives were imported to Sri Lanka. Currently only 3 locomotives are in running condition.
Builder : Alstom France
Weight : 100.56 tons
Power : 3220hp derated to 1800hp ALSTOM RUSHTON DIESEL 12 RK 215T (4 stroke)
Rated rpm : 1000 rpm
Idle rpm : 400 rpm
Max speed : 110km/h
Axle load : 16.76tons
Fuel tank capacity : 5000 litres
Sand box capacity : 480 litres
Minimum curve radius : 100m
Total number of locomotives = 10

W Class Locomotives
W1

Henschel Thyssen (W.German). 1150hp. Imported in 1969. 10 locomotives were completely rehabilitated with Caterpillar 3512 DITA Engines, Voith L 520 Transmission with dynamic braking added to transmission. Also colour scheme changed to blue & white. Rehabilitated locomotives were re-classified as W3. In operation.
Builder : Henschel Thyssen Germany
Weight : 61 tons
Power W1 : 1150hp Paxman V12 12YJXL (4 stroke)
W3 : 1100hp CAT 3512 DITA V12 (4 stroke)
Transmission - VOITH L 520 R U2
L - Locomotive transmission5 - Circuit size index2 - No of Torque converters0 - No of fluid couplingR - ReversingU2 - Model No
Total number of locomotives = 45


W2
Karl Marx Werks (E. Germany). 1500hp. Imported in 1969. In operation.
Builder : VEB
Weight : 65tons
Power : 1578hp PAXMAN V16 16YJXL (4 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 15

S Class Locomotives (DMU's)
S1
English Electric (British) Powered set. Two 180hp engines per locomotive. Not in operation and the locomotives were scrapped due to the heavy corrosion incurred running on the coastal line. Engines were installed in M3 Locomotive.
Builder : English Electric
Weight : 94 tons
Power : English electric 180hp 6 cylinder x 2 (4 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 3
S2
Schindler (German) Diesel Hydraulic. 790hp (4 stroke). Imported in the 1950"s Non operational.
Total number of locomotives = 15
S3
Machinenfabrik (German) Diesel Hydraulic. 880hp. Imported in the 1960's Non operational.
1 DMU is in operation running local service between Galle & Matara
Builder : MAN Germany
Weight : 47 tons
Power : 880hp MAN V12 L12V18./21 (4 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 25
S4
Machinenfabrik (German) Diesel Hydraulic. 1000hp (4 stroke). Imported in the 1960"s Non operational.
Total number of locomotives = 5
S5
Hitachi (Japan), 775hp (4 stroke). Diesel Hydraulic. Tourist excursion train. In service
Builder : Hitachi Japan
Weight : 158 tons (total train with coaches)
Total number of locomotives = 4
S6
Hitachi (Japan), 1165hp. Diesel Hydraulic. Imported in 1975. Operational mainly on the recently Broad gauged "Kaleni Valley" Line.
Builder : Hitachi Japan
Weight : 51 tons powered unit only
Power : 1165hp Paxman V12-12YJXL (4 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 10
S7
Hitachi (Japan), 1020hp. Diesel Hydraulic. Very similar in appearence to S6. Operational mainly on the Broad gauged "Kaleni Valley" line, with limited runs on the mainline on less peak time. Imported in 1977.
Builder : Hitachi Japan
Weight : 54 tons powered unit only
Power : 1020hp Cummings V8 KTA-2300 (4 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 10
S8
Hyundai (Korean), 1150hp (4 stroke). Diesel Hydraulic. Imported in 1989. Currently In operation. This DMU has a remarkably high acceleration rate from zero to 60mph.
Builder : Hyundai Korea
Weight : 55 tons powered unit only
Total number of locomotives = 20
S9
Chinese MTU, Diesel Electric 1150hp (4 stroke). Imported in 2000. Currently in operation. Capable of running with Electrified overhead cables (Pantographs not installed in local units). Driver has a VDU with engine status indication.
Total number of locomotives = 15

N & P Class Locomotives (Narrow gauge locomotives)
N1
KRUPP (W.German). Imported in 1953. Not in operation. Diesel Hydraulic 490hp
Total number of locomotives = 5

N2
KAWASAKI (Japan). Imported in 1973. Not in operation. Diesel Hydraulic 600hp
Total number of locomotives = 3

P1
HUNSLET (British). Imported in 1950. Not in operation.One Locomotive was acquired by Colombo Municipal and was used as an amusement park train in "Viharamahadevi Park" Colombo. Currently seems to be in abandoned status. Mechanical transmission, 130hp
Total number of locomotives = 4


Y Class Locomotives (Shunters)
Y

HUNSLET (British). Imported in 1969. In operation. Diesel Hydraulic 530hp
Builder : Hunslet UK
Weight : 45 tons
Power : 530hp Rolls-Royce V8 DV 8T (4 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 28

Y1
Sri Lankan Railway Built. Manufactured 1972 Not in use - Diesel Hydraulic 1000hp. Same powerplant as S6 and W3 used (Paxman 12YJXL)
Builder : Srilanka Railway
Weight : 52 tons
Power : 1000hp Paxman V12 12YJXL (4 stroke)
Total number of locomotives = 7

We were also told that the railway owns 20feet margins along the whole track and that the Railway has the authority to remove all the shanty houses and other illegal developments along it's lines.

Another thing everyone is fascinated by is the horn or whistle of the engine driver and the cabby or the engineer. They sound the horn at unsafe rail crossings, around blind bends, when approaching stations and when they see people or animals on the tracks. Our son had the privilege of hooting the horn whilst on the engine and he was thrilled to sit on the Engineers seat and look out.

Down in Negombo where we live, the shanty houses located only 200m from our home, are only 3feet away from the track and we always hear the Engine Driver leaning on the whistle as he passes this stretch daily at all time of the day. When you sit in the engine as high as it is and has a bird's eye view, one can imagine the plight of the driver to see children and adults sit on tracks and moving away only when the train is 5metres away. Just as people here lack a healthy respect for the cars and buses on the road, same disrespect goes to the railway!

Yes, sometimes the jouney is THIS dismal when the delays stretch for hours and not minutes.

This is the exchange of the Tablet, the permission slip to travel from one station to the next on a single line. See, when our train starts at Nanu Oya the SM would hand over a small copper tablet which states the name of the originating station and the next station down the line, and the number the track uses. This copper piece is put into a leather pouch and then that is hung and locked on a circular wire also, padded with learther for easy handling. This pouch is then handed over to the, say, Ambewela SM who would keep it with him to hand over to the next train that arrives at his station who would be traveling up to Nanu Oya, no two trains would have the same tablet at any given time.

The British invented this system and is used today and would carry on for the next decade and over.

Couplings


This is the mechanism for the couplings and the vaccum brake hose. All this is done manualy by an engineer at the station when engines are removed to shunt.

This is the coupled engine and the carriage

We traveled all the way to Heel Oya, passing Bandarawela and before the Ella Stations where we met the next train heading back to Nanu Oya. This is also a Goods train and you can take this rain at Bandarawela at 1pm in the afternoon. The train has a good half hour to 45min stay in Bandarawela and the engine would shunt oil tanks and other goods vans onto and off other lines and sometimes to itself. It's a well trained mission: to see the SMs and the helpers run behind the Engines and signal the drivers when to stop to couple and uncouple vans.

If you are lucky you get to see the clear mountain range and can tell each mountain apart from the others. There's always commotion on the train, at Ohiya, anther drunkard behind us realized that he'd gone to the wrong end of the car to get off the train and pulled the emergency brakes to get off! This resulted in much blame for him from the guards and the deputy SM of Ohiya and jail time the next attempt at such a poor display of choice.

Since these trains are running on a single track there's no worry about missing your return train back when you want to catch back to back trains. Also, a good idea to travel during the day as not to miss the spectacular sunsets and the morning scenes of tea plantation workers picking leaves along the tracks among many other things.

Our journey ended at 5pm at Ambewela station. Of course we were grubby and wore much soiled clothes but nevertheless fascinated that we managed to make this trip and make lots of friends and get back in one piece.

People who make it possible


Train driver of the M6 to Badulla (at Bandarawela Station)


Engineer on the M6

Ohiya SM




Ambewela SM

We met three engine drivers, again, no name taking as the train engines are the size of portable toilets and there is no room for anything else other than for the driver and engineer to turn the knobs and switches, worry about people jumping into and off the train and doing their best to keep the ancient beasts on the track climbing such high altitudes.

We met one engineer, who works the Podi Menike and other trains on this route, a remarkably friendly person with years of knowledge of the tracks and snippets of daily life that passes by of the inhabitants of the villages they pass.

Two exceptionaly friendly train drivers who were happy to share their experiences on the track about elephants crossing the tracks at night on the Northern Line to people doing the silliest stunts to get on a train.

A train Guard who takes his work seriously and takes pride in wearing his Government issue white garbs and green flag he gets to wave at the stations. Immensly educated on the geography of the lands he travels over and not just the Badulla line.

Very patient Station Masters who has to work in extreme hard conditions with minimum of comforts to keep the railway running under all conditions. We learnt that the Ohiya SM got hot water supply only a few months ago.

We'd have not made both our trips on the occasionally late and some times not the cleanest trains on the tracks in Sri Lanka, if not for the Ambewea and Ohiya, very charming Station Masters who promised the view was worth it! May the SLR recruit more upbeat staff as such.

Hats off to the Sri Lanka Railway Department.

Ambewela to Ohiya by Train

Train journey from Ambewela to Ohiya and back on a Goods' Train!

The Ambewla Station sits 3/4 of a mile from Pattipola the highest railway station in Sri Lanka. One of the Station Masters is Mr. D.M.N.P Bandara, a young recruit out of Colombo University and a helpful and kindly soul who mans the station sometimes 24X4 in the 5degress Celsius cold nights.
We've quizzed him for hours on the train schedule and the work and he would patiently sit with us and explain the signals and about how the Goods's trains would shunt carriages at his station.

On impulse we bought two and half tickets from him and on his advice decided to travel half hour to Ohiya and back by catching the next Goods' train from Bandarawela. It was a pleasant journey on a half empty train. The Namunukula mountain range looked massive and impressive and the colours that time of the years on the tree tops created such an abstract painting over the hills.

We took the 9.30am Goods train and 11.30 train from Ohiya back to Ambewela and it takes 3hours for this round trip and the view is breathtaking. We reached Ambewela 3hours after we left the station. There had been some shunting at Hapulate and the train got slightly delayed.

There's parking available at all stations for your vehicle and people man the station all day and it's quite safe to leave your vehicle.

History of Sri Lankan Railway

The History of Sri Lankan Railway - http://www.railway.gov.lk/history.html

The Railway, then known as Ceylon Government Railways, was conceived in the 1850’s as an instrument to develop and unify the country. The 1st sod of the Sri Lanka Railways was cut by Sir Henry Ward, the Governor, in August in1858. The 1st Train ran on 27th December 1864, with the construction of the Main Line from Colombo to Ambepussa, 54 kilometers to the east. This line was officially opened for traffic on 02nd October 1865. The Railway extended and developed it’s network and in 1927 , a total route length of 1530 km was in operation . The Main Line was extended in stages, with service to Kandy in 1867, to Nawalapitiya in 1874, to Nanu-Oya in 1885, to Bandarawela in 1894, and to Badulla in 1924. Other lines were completed in due course to link the other parts of the country, the Matale Line in 1880, the Coast Line in 1895, the Northern Line in 1905, the Mannar Line in 1914, the Kelani Valley Line in 1919, the Puttalam Line in 1926, and the Batticaloa and Trincomalee Lines in 1928.The Railway was initially built to transport coffee and tea from the hill country to Colombo for export and was for many years, the main source of income. With population growth, however, passenger traffic increased and in the 1960’s overtook freight as the main source of business. The Railway is now primarily engaged in the transport of passengers, especially commuters to and from Colombo, offering a vital service and reducing road congestion.



Rolling Stock

The First Rolling Stock landed in Ceylon in 1864. These engines were 4-4-0 Type, two wheeled coupled with a tender, with a fuel capacity of 5 Tons and 15,200, Gallons of water. The length was 49 ft. over buffers and 59 tons in weight. These engines were in use till 1926. Three and Four driving wheel locomotives, with Saturated Steam Super Heater boilers were introduced 1915. Garret Class double headed locomotive were introduced in 1928 to eliminate the need for a 2nd engine to haul trains over a gradient of 1 in 44 in the up-country areas. In 1954 Canadian Government gifted to Ceylon, the M2 Class General Motors Electric Locomotives of 1310 H.P. In the mid 1950s, a Hydraulic Power Coachers were perched for the faster and cleaner service for office workers. A land mark in the history of the railways was the complete dieselization of it’s motive power in 1969 by the introduction of 88 Diesel Hydraulic Locomotives.The first consignment of coaches of 2- Wheeled, 2 Door, with 9’ 6” Wheel Base and 22’ 6” long, equipped with projecting sun-shades, bonnet type of ventilator glass drop light and double roof with cocoanut oil lamp started serving in this country and were in service for over nearly 20 years.The railway good service was inaugurated with the type of wagons such as 4 wheeled wooden Covered Wagons.





Signaling and Telecommunication


On the inauguration of the First Railway to Ambepussa in 1864, there was no need for signaling. The trains were run at long intervals and on time table to make sure that the trains were the kept well apart.Tablet Instrument was introduced as speeds and frequencies increased for safe operation on single lines. Lock and Block instruments were used for double line sections. The List and Mores System was one of the earliest forms of interlocking used at single line station. Color light Signaling and Centralized Traffic Control was started in 1959. The Railway Telecommunication system has been modernized by the introduction of VHF/UHF Radio Telecommunication facility between station and control offices.





Operation


In 1906, the Railway Operating Department was divided in to 3 divisions namely Colombo, Anuradhpuraya and Nawalapitiya.


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